Greek Htipiti is a creamy, sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy feta cheese dip. This traditional Greek dip is made with fire-roasted red peppers, salty feta cheese, extra virgin olive oil, and a splash of red wine vinegar. It's bold in flavor and very easy to make!
Table Of Contents
What Is Htipiti?
Htipiti, meaning "whipped" in Greek, refers to the way ingredients are blended together. This Greek dip can be smooth or a little bit chunky, in its more traditional form.
Greek Htipiti is very similar to Tirokafteri Dip. The difference is in the addition of fire-roasted red peppers. In Greece, we use Florina peppers. A variety of long, sweet red peppers roasted and preserved in olive oil or in brine.
You can make your own roasted red peppers at home by following my tutorial on How To Roast Red Peppers, and use any variety you like. Red bell peppers or long red peppers, as long as they're sweet. We want that sweet flavor to contrast the feta's saltiness.
Ingredients
- Feta cheese: Use soft feta for a smooth, silky dip, or hard, ripened feta for a chunkier texture.
- Anthtyro: I'm using this lighter Greek cheese, which is very similar to Ricotta (yes, you can use that instead), to balance the feta's saltiness and make the dip fluffier. You can completely skip that and use only feta, of course. Or even use a creamy Ricotta or Cream Cheese for an even silkier, creamier dip. Greek soft cheeses used here are Katiki from Domokos and Tsalafouti, but these are very hard to find outside Greece.
- Roasted red peppers: any variety you want. Long or bell peppers, preserved in oil or in brine, make a stronger-flavored dip.
- Red wine vinegar: just a small amount. It balances the peppers' sweetness and brings out the feta flavor.
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Cayenne pepper: Use to taste; adjust as desired. Chili peppers can be used in place of it.
To make Greek red pepper and feta dip, simply pulse all of the ingredients in a food processor.
TIPS
- Ideally, let the dip chill for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Take it out of the fridge 10 minutes before serving, as it will thicken further once chilled.
- Garnish with hot red pepper flakes or extra cayenne pepper on top to easily adjust the hotness to your liking.
Storing
Keep in an airtight food container in the fridge for up to 5-6 days.
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Serve With
Serve this Greek red pepper feta dip with pita bread, pita chips, or some crusty country bread. Don't forget to add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top and an olive in the center for a classic Greek Taverna presentation.
Htipiti is also great for wraps, burgers, and sandwiches, adding a Mediterranean flavor kick.
Recipe
Greek Red Pepper Feta Dip (Htipiti)
Ingredients
- 400 grams (14 ounce) feta cheese
- 150 grams (5.3 ounces) Greek Anthotyro or Ricotta cheese
- 1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 250 grams (8.8 ounces) roasted red peppers see here how to make them at home
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Optional: red pepper flakes for garnish
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until almost completely smooth. Greeks like it a bit chunky. However, you can pulse until completely uniform if you prefer.
- Serve garnished with red pepper flakes on top, pita chips or pita bread on the side, or some crusty sourdough bread.
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